Fort Nassau, Ghana

Moree, Ghana, Ghana

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Fort Nassau, located near Moree in Ghana's Central Region, was the first Dutch fort established on what would later be known as the Dutch Gold Coast.

Founded in 1612 by the Dutch West India Company, the fort began as a small wooden structure on a hill overlooking the sea, intended to protect trade interests primarily in gold and later in the transatlantic slave trade. It was strategically important for securing Dutch dominance in the area and served as the Dutch headquarters until the capture of Elmina Castle in 1637.

The fort underwent several expansions and rebuilds in stone to strengthen its defenses against local resistance and rival colonial powers. Control of Fort Nassau fluctuated over time, with the English briefly capturing it in the 17th century before the Dutch regained it. By the 19th century, its importance waned and it fell into disrepair, overshadowed by larger forts. Today, the ruins of Fort Nassau remain a significant historical site, highlighting the early European colonial and trading activity on the West African coast .